Resource Simple Questions, Simple Answers Thread (read the op before posting a thread)

[readytolose]

Maybe unrelated to the current meta, but why was mega scizor so popular last gen when it is doing more or less the same thing as it is without a mega stone?

Mega Scizor can take advantage of its defensive qualities better since it has much higher bulk, especially on the physical side which more than makes up for the lack of leftovers. Also Leftovers tend to get knocked off, but Mega Scizor can switch into Knock Off users easier and check them. It just works so much better in setup + being tough to kill and is generally viewed as a direct upgrade to vanilla Scizor. Even offensive mega Scizor is better cause of higher speed and bulk and no LO recoil making up for slightly lower power.

While regular Scizor can run the same sets Mega Scizor can they're basically all outclassed by the Mega form. The only thing it has to distinguish itself is a mediocre Choice Band set, which really struggles in this meta, and Fightium Z set that can can surprise some checks but has really subpar power otherwise. Basically, there's generally no reason to use regular Scizor unless you really need that mega slot for something else.

 

[Delibird is Amazing]

What the hell is a jump point?

I keep seeing them mentioned in analyses.

 

[Photofluid]

Mega Scizor can take advantage of its defensive qualities better since it has much higher bulk, especially on the physical side which more than makes up for the lack of leftovers. Also Leftovers tend to get knocked off, but Mega Scizor can switch into Knock Off users easier and check them. It just works so much better in setup + being tough to kill and is generally viewed as a direct upgrade to vanilla Scizor. Even offensive mega Scizor is better cause of higher speed and bulk and no LO recoil making up for slightly lower power.

While regular Scizor can run the same sets Mega Scizor can they're basically all outclassed by the Mega form. The only thing it has to distinguish itself is a mediocre Choice Band set, which really struggles in this meta, and Fightium Z set that can can surprise some checks but has really subpar power otherwise. Basically, there's generally no reason to use regular Scizor unless you really need that mega slot for something else.

If so, would regular scizor become more relevant when more megaa become released?

(I am also unsure about the difference between ou and pokebank ou though)

 

[pika pal]

What the hell is a jump point?

I keep seeing them mentioned in analyses.

Jump points refer to a number that sees an increase due to things like nature or rounding. For example, Adamant gives Dragonite +10% ATK, and the SpD set last gen ran 64 ATK EV's. 60 EV's got it to 350 ATK, but rounding meant that 64 got it 352, a 2 point increase instead of one. It's min-maxing in action since the 4 EV's get more benefit out of that investment than in another stat.


EDIT: instead of double posting, thought I'd ask here. Where's a good place to get advice if I want to try out a core idea? Good places to get a feel for the meta or ask about partners for a theory core before I put it into practice for refinement?

 

[Lazyboy0337]

If so, would regular scizor become more relevant when more megaa become released?

(I am also unsure about the difference between ou and pokebank ou though)

You could argue so. It really depends on the team and if they really need another mega and also want Scizor's qualitys.

OU is the OU tier for what you can use on cartridge right now. Pokebank OU is what OU will be once Pokebank is avaliable. Many pokemon are unavaliable until Pokebank, hence the difference formats.

 

[Photofluid]

You could argue so. It really depends on the team and if they really need another mega and also want Scizor's qualitys.

OU is the OU tier for what you can use on cartridge right now. Pokebank OU is what OU will be once Pokebank is avaliable. Many pokemon are unavaliable until Pokebank, hence the difference formats.

So are we doing rankings etc. based on the pokebank meta? Are the megas the only thing missing right now?

Speaking of changes, I must say I am really missing the gems and also the pre-nerf gale wings though.

 

[Aragorn the King]

So are we doing rankings etc. based on the pokebank meta? Are the megas the only thing missing right now?

Speaking of changes, I must say I am really missing the gems and also the pre-nerf gale wings though.

Rankings are based on the Pokebank meta. The unreleased megas are the only thing missing from the VR thread because they are unreleased, even in Pokebank (there's no way to get, for example, Lopunny's mega stone in Sun/Moon).

 

[pika pal]

No confirmed way, to clarify. I've seen speculation about them being added in some manner, and there are a couple cases that might be available even absent a full Battle Tree update or anything (like Diancie, which always required you to have the MOn for the Stone to be available).

 

[Kurona]

If there were available ways, dataminers would surely have found them by this point. I'd expect them by event.

 

[Siggu]

If there were available ways, dataminers would surely have found them by this point. I'd expect them by event.

Well, nothing would stop them from, say, patching the game to add the Mega Stones to the Battle Tree vendor...

(One can dream, right?)

 

[BuoyantLlama]

What is Dragonite's Electrium Z set? I've seen it mentioned a few times but I don't know what it's supposed to do.

 

[Sergeant Spooky]

What is Dragonite's Electrium Z set? I've seen it mentioned a few times but I don't know what it's supposed to do.

It's Dragon Dance with Thunder Punch. Z-Thunder Punch is, iirc, a 140 BP Electric move, it allows Dragonite to blast through a usual check in Tapu Fini, and unlike the Z-Fly set it also allows Dragonite to break through Skarmory and Celesteela.

 

[Ojo46]

I know Pelipper seems to be THE rain setter this gen, but is Politoed still viable or nah?

 

[Ramses]

I know Pelipper seems to be THE rain setter this gen, but is Politoed still viable or nah?

The biggest issue is Politoed really doesn't have much to offer over Pelipper aside from not being Stealth Rock weak. Pelipper is pretty much superior in all aspects with reliable recovery, U-turn, Defog, and bulkier overall I believe.

 

[spookysocialist]

Assuming the game was patched tommorow and all the unreleased mega stones were made available, would the mega pokemon start tiered in ou or the tier their base form is in?

 

[pika pal]

Assuming the game was patched tommorow and all the unreleased mega stones were made available, would the mega pokemon start tiered in ou or the tier their base form is in?

I think standard policy for anything is to start in OU, no matter how good or bad, and then work its way down, since it minimizes the need for lower tiers to potentially need to suspect things if something too strong is dropped in their laps.

 

[Plancklength]

Actually if I can clarify something really quickly, the unreleased mega stones are in the code, the game doesn't need a patch or anything to add them. There just isn't any way to obtain them in the game at the moment. If tomorrow game freak released a distribution for diancite or any other stone, then mega-diancie would like instantly become ou, the same way that if marshadow would if it were released (I don't think marshadow actually made the insta-ban list). Worth noting that some of them would probably drop pretty quickly if they were released too (think mega audino).

The reason the unreleased stones aren't part of pokebank like past gen mons is that as far as we know, the pokemon bank will not be able to transfer items, but it will be able to transfer pokemon. Once pokebank is out, you should be able to get an audino or whatever, just not the mega stone.

If I remember correctly all the unreleased mega stones would be ou other than blaziken's, since blaziken itself is ubers (mega mawile is explicitly unbanned from ou atm, it just isn't available yet).

 

[VCrakeV]

Any idea what Mega Sableye usually runs? I'm currently working on a wallbreaking Kartana, and wondering if it can OHKO at +2 without life orb.

 

[guan123]

Mega Sableye usually runs Recover, Will-O-Wisp, Knock Off, Foul Play/Fake Out. It usually runs max physical defense, but Kartana should OHKO at +2 with Leaf blade.

 

[readytolose]

Mega Sableye usually runs Recover, Will-O-Wisp, Knock Off, Foul Play/Fake Out. It usually runs max physical defense, but Kartana should OHKO at +2 with Leaf blade.

+2 252 Atk Kartana Leaf Blade vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Sableye-Mega: 232-274 (76.3 - 90.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

[guan123]

+2 252 Atk Kartana Leaf Blade vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Sableye-Mega: 232-274 (76.3 - 90.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

+2 252+ Atk Kartana Leaf Blade vs. 252 HP / 112+ Def Sableye-Mega: 285-336 (93.7 - 110.5%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO
Redid the calculation with adamant. Still doesn't guarantee the OHKO, but much more likely.

 

[VCrakeV]

Thanks guys. I think it's not a big worry, so I'll pass on the life orb (residual damage can be a dick when your opponent keeps switching walls).

I'm thinking either lum berry to set up on walls, or a z crystal to nuke something like Sableye. Or maybe fightingium z for Skarmory and what not.

 

[VCrakeV]

Any counters to trick room carbink? With sturdy and mental herb, it provides certain trick room, unless you do something absurdly niche like imprison plus trick room. If you're running hyper offense, mons like alolan marowak just sweep half your team before trick room is expired (which can be brought back very easily. Since they know what mon you have out, they can switch to a mon that walls it and can set up trick room).

Not saying it's broken, but I must be missing something. Taunt runs the risk of a wasted turn, when they have mental herb. priority is often to weak for trick room sweepers because they can afford to invest in bulk. Am I just suppose to not run hyper offense? Do I need protect to stall it out?

 

[LunaStik]

Any counters to trick room carbink? With sturdy and mental herb, it provides certain trick room, unless you do something absurdly niche like imprison plus trick room. If you're running hyper offense, mons like alolan marowak just sweep half your team before trick room is expired (which can be brought back very easily. Since they know what mon you have out, they can switch to a mon that walls it and can set up trick room).

Not saying it's broken, but I must be missing something. Taunt runs the risk of a wasted turn, when they have mental herb. priority is often to weak for trick room sweepers because they can afford to invest in bulk. Am I just suppose to not run hyper offense? Do I need protect to stall it out?

If Sturdy is the reason you cannot kill it, Fake Out is an option. If they run Psychic terrain, they have to hard switch and you can get prior damage, or sac Tapu Lele. Or a little more niche is to run Speed Swap. They have to switch out of Carbink, which allows you a free Speed swap to outslow your opponent.

 

[VCrakeV]

If Sturdy is the reason you cannot kill it, Fake Out is an option. If they run Psychic terrain, they have to hard switch and you can get prior damage, or sac Tapu Lele. Or a little more niche is to run Speed Swap. They have to switch out of Carbink, which allows you a free Speed swap to outslow your opponent.

I never thought about this. Thanks! Now that I think about it, multi-hit moves like bullet seed and water shuriken would be great.